


Do it for the Vine

by AntigueGinger



Series: MariBat AU [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Crack, Extremely short chapters, Gen, Humor, I Don't Even Know, Occasional angst, Vines
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:06:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 2,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23268181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntigueGinger/pseuds/AntigueGinger
Summary: BS that enters my mind and won't fit in the story.
Series: MariBat AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673164
Comments: 15
Kudos: 155





	1. Its Hard being Co-CEO

The video starts on on a closed elevator with the WE logo. They open to show a lean man leaning against the wall asleep. Only way he's standing is his elbows on the support bar. An empty travel mug hangs from one hand while the other holds a folder  
"Tim," the one behind the camera whispers.  
Nothing.  
"Dude!" He yells. "Your coffee!"  
Tim shouts drops the folder and clutches his mug. He blinks confused and glares at the camera.  
"Dick! I'm going to kill-"


	2. Some pranks are a must

Tim opens a coffee tin and sighs. He lifts a worm and glares as if the creature insulted his family and existance. He turns on his heal and yells.  
"Jason!"  
The man cackles and runs.


	3. Floor is Lava pt. 1

A girl in a pink sun dress stood talking to the famous model Adrien Agreste who was wearing fencing gear.  


"Floor is lava!" Nino yells.  


If if wasnt for the fact they caught it on video no one would believe the the way the girl jumped and wedged herself in a corner with a perfect split.  


Nor would they believe how Adrien back flipped onto a metal chair.  


"OOOHHHH"  


The camera turned and the international fencer Kagami Tsurugi was balanced on a beam for the ballet class that shared the building.  


A chorus of screams echoed and ended the video.


	4. Floor is Lava pt. 2

"Floor is Lava." Kagami said it quietly but all the teenagers in the room scrambled onto tabletops, chairs, and a boy in the back fell into a trashcan.  
The camera cuts to a calmly standing boy.  
"Damian, I know you know this game."  
"I do," the boy smirks and points down. "I came prepared."  
The camera pans down to show him standing on a carpet square. Cuts up to Damian.  
The normally cool voice jumped pitch. "That's NOT how that works!"


	5. Floor is Lava pt. 3

Marinette sits stretching in an open room, away from the corners and walls. There were no bars, chairs or stools. She was isolated.   
"Dupain-Cheng," Damian had an audible smirk to his voice. "Floor is Lava."  
Quick as a flash she rolled to her feet and charged the camera. After a couple seconds of shakes, shadows, and curses the camera pointed to her hanging from the rafters by her knees.   
"I hate you."  
"I know." She smirked.


	6. Her first time landing Flic Flack Handstand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's going to be so long before I can introduce Marinette gymnastics

Marinette stands on a balance beam in pastel pink leotard and hair in a bun. Music played softly in the background, too soft to be identified.   
Mari took a deep breath, shook out her arms and lept. She fliped, twisted, landed. She gripped the beam angle showing a tight grip and lowered her legs into a split perpendicular to the bar. It was then that she lookes into the camera and winked. One leg came down between her arms letting her come back up to stand. When she did, arms up in a flourish a cheer from dozens of girls screamed through the room.  
Marinette stepped of the beam, hand covering her mouth, ready to cry. 


	7. He's in Denial (of things to come)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of something I'm excited to write. And boys will be boys.

"Hey guys! I have a question for you." A teenager with bright blue eyes and messy black hair beams at the camera as he throws an arm over the shoulder of a shorter black haired teen glaring at his homework. "If a guy buys a girl an expensive necklace and earrings as a gift does that mean he likes her?"

  
The shorter boy glares at the taller. "Jon for the last time! I do not have a crush! She need-"

  
"HE CALLED HER AMAR WHEN HE DID!" Nino's voice shouts from the background.

  
"DAMIAN LIKES MARINETTE!!" Adrian's voice cackled.

  
If it wasn't for Jon holding him, Damian would have attacked. "Im going to kill you both!"

  
The video ends with the other three's laughter.


	8. Sleep Deprived

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on a true story.

Marinette stumbled out of her room, phone in hand. She was on her third all nighter in a row. Her fingers were sore, her head was pounding, and she just really wanted a chocolate bar.   
  
When she made it to the kitchen, she was careful to set her phone on the counter she she didn't drop and break it. Why she brought in the first place was put to the lack of sleep.  
  
She found her specialty large chocolate bar in the back of the pantry and hummed as she opened it. "Woah boi, she thicc."  
  
She readied for the first delectable bite when Luka's laugh crashed through the silence.  
  
Oh... Thats why she had her phone.  
  



	9. Home alone?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman and Red Robin #19. (ง'̀-'́)ง

Damian glanced around the building humming softly. He saw no one so he knocked the beat on the table as he waited for the files to load on the Miraculous HQ's computer. 

He needed more coffee. As always when he thought of the bitter drink, he thought of his time in theater. He was called a natural, of course. But more than that, he actually enjoyed it. The exuberance of the people he acted with. The energy each cast member would bring to a performance, be it behind the curtain or on the stage. The way people would speak of their unattainable dream as if it were before them had warmed him. Back then he was lost, wanting to know who he was and they were unaware of the aid they provided while shining that spotlight on him. When he tried to be someone else he found he enjoyed being him.

He smiled faintly at the memory as he scrolled through his music to avoid why he stopped taking acting lessons. It was six years ago and every so often he would meet up with old acquaintances in Gotham to perform short scenes. More often than not they were musical theater. 

He hummed softly the start of something familiar. The ease into the song from speech and the orchestra that swelled through the entire show. His favorite song was the emotional crux of the character arch he got stuck playing. He had no idea how he got placed in one of the leads with his basic tenor but regardless he did. 

He mouthed the ensemble's start, speaking only when the familiar lines of his character echoed in his ears.

Pouring his coffee he smiled ruefully as the emotions of the set came back to him. He had impressed half the troop that the "rich boy Wayne" had such emotional range. Looking back on the recording that his father wisely, and unfortunately, hid in his office, Damian himself was surprised at the wrenching emotion he somehow packed into the performance.

He set his coffee down with too much force as he performed the first verse. The accusation and resentment seeped into him as the song went on. Along the memories of his acquaintances came memories of his childhood.

His mother standing over him a mask of love and care. His grandfather looking on with veiled disappointment behind his advice for improvement. The twisted reasoning he would need to bloody the men he trained and trained with. The expectation to be made of stone.

He didn't want to remember his childhood! He didn't want to be the bastard his family trained him to be! He hated the way he resented how his father tried to care for him! He wanted to go back in time and slap his younger self for not being able to see sooner that his father was right!

He wanted to go back and defeat his mother in their first birthday duel. 

He shoved it all away just focusing on the song. The strongest verse in this piece that packed the emotion into a single note, a single line. This was why the one time he cried in front of someone outside his family was on that tape. 

Just focus on the song.

I've _wasted my faith_

_ Believing in saints of plaster _

_ But the only one worth _

_ Believing in was my master _

_ He's the one who never lied _

_ He told me it was cruel outside _

_ He told me how I had to hide _

_ His words were cold as stone _

_ But they were true _

_ Not like you _

_ Take all the dreams you've sown _

_ Take all your lies _

_ And leave me alone! _

__

He took a breath, nails digging into the back of the chair. He would not think of what could have been. He would not think about who he could have been should his mother had succeeded. He couldn't bring himself to sing the final verse.

He cast a glance to the mug and scrubbed a trembling hand over his face. Perhaps that was enough caffeine... Maybe he should return to his apartment for rest.

Just as he moved to dump his coffee he locked eyes with Viperion. 

"How did you learn to sing like that?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's left field and longer than other things in this collection but bro... Damian's a theater kid and Made of Stone is a bop that is just depressing enough to suit him.
> 
> Go listen the the Hunchback on Notre Dame musical.


	10. Heavy Spoilers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some of the questions on the latest story had me looking at my outline. Later in the story might not look exactly like this but here’s a preview.
> 
> READ AT YOUROWN RISK
> 
> SPOILERS AHEAD

On an exceptionally clear night every member of the miraculous team met on the Eiffel Tower. They had specially arranged it so there were no responsibilities in the coming day and they could linger and enjoy the evening for as long as they wished. After the events that none of them wished to address quite yet and still tension that lingered in the air of Ladybug’s recent discoveries, Luka determined it necessary to rekindle the team’s connection by clearing the air of any lingering negativity. He just happened to forget Renard Roux had a lingering disdain for Damian.

“I just don’t understand why we keep the guy on as an analyst when Manul has gotten us farther than he ever did!” The fox hero gestured aggressively towards Manul Noir, sending his crimson hair into his eyes and allowing him to miss Damian’s eye roll behind the mask. “Besides! His mom is literally the enemy! He could be working with her. Spoiled rich kid trying to please mommy.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Manul spoke softly, his words easily over shadowed by Chat Rouge.

“Come on,” the lion holder called from where both felines were perched on a higher beam. His movements still so similar to when he was Chat Noir, it was a comfort to see him smiling and swinging his feet. “You don’t know the whole situation. I mean, look at me and my father.”

“We’ve known you from the beginning.” Qianlima sighed, their long orange hair twisted around Viperion’s finger. “I admit something about Damian doesn’t sit right with me but he would not have done the things he has or given us the information he has if we couldn’t trust him.”

Ryuko glared at the horse and fox themed heroes. “Damian would do nothing to harm us. I trust him with my life.”

“He stole Chat’s ring!” Renard snapped. “His mother is trying to steal the miraculous! First thing he asked for when he came to Paris was to join the team and he’s been hiding something! He’s just always been suspicious!”

“If you’re so sure he’s hiding something,” Bourdonsaid with a scoff, “what is it?”

He fell quiet and all eyes turned to him. He froze with anxiety buzzing through his veins but for all that he couldn’t think of why he hadn’t spoken to his teammates about this before...

“He’s a Justice League spy. He’s from one of the vigilante families affiliated with the League and his friend Jon is too.”

Chat growled “I get your thing with Damian but that doesn’t mean you are permitted to try spreading lies about him and Jon! Do you really even believe Jon of all people has the stomach to be a hero? He’s too sweet!”

“I know.” Ladybug said.

Viperion raised his eyes to her and spoke softly, pulling his partner closer . “So you know?”

Her eyes landed on Manul but her gaze was cold. “He told me everything. We don’t need to question his loyalty but maybe how much he trusts us.”

Manul and Viperion stayed suspiciously quiet but Ryuko narrowed her eyes. “What exactly are You implying?”

“Manul?” Bourdon watched his blank face twist as if he bit a lemon.

“I can give each of you a break down of your fighting style, weaknesses, assets, ext. i have even deducted each of your identities. I was trained to be a killer then trained out of it soon after I was ten years old. I have been faced with nightmares you could only imagine- or maybe not... I may not be loyal to the team as a whole but I am loyal to Ladybug and Viperion as individuals. I might even consider a few of you comrades but I cannot reveal my role that led me hear but I am indeed Damian Wayne... Until now only two of you knew...”

Renard paled at the revelation but Ryuko was furious. “You used me. You knew who I was and used me to get close to the heroes. You’re not my friend!”

“I didn’t know who you were until well into our friendship. I did believe you were Ladybug at first until I saw you battle an akuma after we sparred. I knew who Chat was first obviously and Viperion was not hard to guess. When I saw his partner, they are very conspicuous so the rest of the group started to become clear. Ladybug was the last.”

He looked up, meet her gaze without reserve. “I did not want to think that a woman like you would be confined to this lifestyle.”

Renard stood with Ryuko. “I told you we shouldn’t have trusted him! He’s been playing all of us! What are you really?”

Damian glanced at each of the members and took in the way none of them said anything in his favor. Ryuko’s eyes were filled with anger and betrayal and he took the reaction with grace. He knew this would happen if the truth ever came to light. Briefly he wondered if this was how Jason felt. An outsider in a team of outsiders despite his affection for them.

His eyes locked on Ladybug and knew it couldn’t stand. He pulled at on of the green details and let his costume open to show the scar on his chest. Plaggs protest seared his fingers but he held firm. “A few years ago I died because of something my mother created. My father brought me back with a chaos shard.” He ignored Luka’s hissing breath, he let Plagg close his uniform. “My mother has no loyalty from me. The American branch of the Justice League however, they are my family. Specifically the ones based in Gotham.” He watched the realization click into those tanzanite eyes. “There I went by the name Robin.”

“So you were always a hero?” Chat Rouge flipped so he hung upside down from his perch. Eye level with his now Manul didn’t hide his smile. “Like us?”

“Unlike you I was trained.”

He gasped with his usual dramatic flair. “I am a well known fencer I have you know!”

“And I can still kick your ass.”

Ryuko crouched next to him, grabbing his chin to look her in the eye. “You didn’t use me to get to the team?”

“No,” he said firmly grabbing her hand. “You became my friend through coincidence.”

She nodded sitting next to him, linking their arms. Everyone in the group seemed to just be processing the new information. Even Renard stood silent in the night.

That changed when a siren ripped through the night.

“Well,” Ladybug stood, “time to work.”


End file.
